Amazing but true, we tolerate poor performance at work in a way that we are unlikely to in any other aspect of our lives. With every client we have worked with we have assisted in dealing with poor performance issues that are known but have not been dealt with effectively. We find there is a common thread with all the various performance issues even though the companies, size and sector are different.
Why more effective action isn’t taken?
· Managers don’t know what to do
· The performance issues are difficult to quantify
· The individual is difficult to deal with
· Managers allow feelings to interfere with business decisions
What action is often taken?
If someone isn’t performing managers often do one or more of the following:
· Avoid dealing with it
· Talk to the employee only after things come to a head and can’t be put it off any longer
· Talk around the problem, don’t communicate directly enough
· Move the problem to another job, team or department
· Try to get HR or someone else to deal with it
· Make the employee’s working life even more difficult hoping they will leave
So what happens when we don’t deal with poor performance effectively?
· Managers overreact and take action which introduces a litigation risk to the business
· Increases a high level of stress to both the manager and the employee
· Time Cost – either dealing with the performance or the fall out when it goes wrong
· COST – dealing with performance incorrectly can have a very high costs attached for solicitors fees and awards through tribunals
· Reputation – ineffectively handled performance issues can badly damage business and personal reputation internally and externally
I recently saw a posting on a forum from a small parent lead, committee run after school club. No one in this group had recognised that they were in fact employers and when managing the staff all employment laws apply to them as an employer - just as they would to any employer. The status of the business, whether it is a charity, not for profit or a big multinational - if staff are employed, the principles and rules of employment will apply.
Managing performance is important we all recognise that yet when it comes to devoting the time needed, it is often given the least time and effort. Performance is the lifeblood of the business or charity; it can make the difference between success and failure of individuals and businesses. Where the importance of this function is recognised individuals and the business thrive.
Have you looked into how you appoint your managers, what recruitment measures do you use? How much training and support they are given on appointment or do you assume they will ‘just pick up the skills’ as they grow into the role? Do you measure a manager’s performance with team based/personnel measures or are all performance measures entirely operational? What importance do you place on performance management and how is that demonstrated in the way the business supports its managers?
How much do you know about management? Are you just replicating your experiences of management, applying some bits of what you may have read? How do you know how to manage? Do you know your legal responsibilities? Does it matter? What difference does your management style have on the business performance? Don’t know – why not – surely your personal management style should be something you know and manage?
So what to do? Improving management skills can be done in a number of ways and will depend on your personal learning styles and something that is referred to as your ‘emotional intelligence’. How much do you know about who you are and your effect on those around you? How aware are you of the effect you have on others and what you need to do to get the best from them? How much will you need to change your behaviour to become an effective manager? How will you know if your behaviour is achieving the results you are hoping to achieve?
Depending on your personal views, approaches and desire to succeed, you can use a number of ways to develop and increase your management skills and competence. Some options are:
· Take a management course
o Management courses, educate. They provide your mind with knowledge, they do not necessarily deliver changed performance.
· Take a variety of training courses
o As above, although training courses are usually more practical in nature, they are a one off experience and if you do not apply the knowledge you pick up it is unlikely to change behaviour
· Find a mentor
o Mentor and coach can be used differently, but I see a mentor as an internal resource, that is not your line manager but is usually more senior and can assist you in achieving career progression within your organisation. A mentor can be helpful but is concerned with long term career advice not short term competence development
· Find a coach
o A coach can be internal or external and is concerned with assisting an individual to develop insight and analysis into themselves and the work situation or issues in a way which develops a way to deliver sustained and embedded changed performance. A coach can help an individual to develop competence with support in applying them in the new setting either work or home
· Access others experience
o Mirroring performance of others within or outside the organisation using it in a way that affects personal performance. Depending on who the role model is, this can provide both good and poor examples of how to do things - providing learning through observation and analysis.
· Read management 'How to' books and other management resources
There are hundreds of books that can be read to provide details of how to be a good manager, leader or whatever else you are looking for -
Some or all of the above can be used to enhance skills but the most effective an long lasting change is proven to be through coaching. Sometimes we have a coach and we don't realise it as we have never really formalised the relationship or put a label on it because it is a friend/acquaintance that has been a trusted adviser or coach.
If you really are serious about changing performance - find a coach, it will make a real difference and pay for itself. What have you got to lose?
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